CHAPTER XIII.

CONTINUATION OF O'KELLY'S INTERVIEW WITH LORD STRANGEWAY - BOB IS SENT TO SCHOOL A MUTUAL DISLIKE EXISTS BETWEEN HIMSELF AND HIS MASTER-HE 66 CUTS THE CONNECTION FOR EVER.

He who listens attentively-interrogates to elicit information speaks calmly--answers coolly-and seldom talks about himself or trivial matters--is in possession of some of the best requisites for forming a useful and intelligent character.

It has been remarked that these qualifications belong in a more peculiar degree to the soldier than the civilian, which may be attributed to those habits of order and that perfect system of regularity by which all their actions are guided. O'Kelly was one of those who never spoke for the sake of display, nor gave an irrelevant answer: he was therefore what might be called an exemplary listener, and was so far the more pleasing to the egotistical lord, who fancied that all those who heard him were bound by his "dicta."

When O'Kelly made the very just observation stated at the conclusion of the last chapter, his lordship observed that "such notions were not profitable or creditable to those in humble circumstances; but if any such persons could entertain them with propriety, it was the soldier who fought for preserving in their proper places the aristocracy, who were the basis upon which good government was built."

O'Kelly could with difficulty master his feelings at this exhibition of aristocratic insolence, but he remembered the admonition of Mr. Clements, and upon reflection, resolved to part with his lordship on good terms. A pause of some minutes ensued before he uttered a sentence. He at length observed, that having performed his duty in thus coming to express his obligations to his lordship, nothing remained but to bid him farewell.

"You will be kind enough to remain a little longer," said his lordship; "no one enters this mansion without partaking of its hospitality; refreshment will be laid for you in the next room.' He then took up a letter, and, whilst he feigned to be perusing it, he cast several furtive glances at his new visitors; for the same spirit of curiosity that prompted his lordship to inquire into the affairs of all his neighbours, made him an accurate surveyor of their persons when an opportunity offered; and there being little doubt that he had information through his man Tom of something

O'Kelly said, and many things he had never said, touching his lordship's character and conduct, he was anxious to make a close personal inspection of him: probably he wished to ascertain if his sagacity could discover in the major any remains of the recruiting sergeant.

O'Kelly caught his eye two or three times, and a scene of mutual embarrassment followed, which was interrupted by a fine boy rushing into the room, running over to his lordship, and exclaiming, "Oh, papa, the horse-breaker has brought home my pony; I will ride out to-morrow." He had hardly uttered the words, when he turned round and saw Bob, whom his lordship had not deigned to notice from the time he had come into his presence. Boys at such an age never require an introduction to each other, and in a moment Lord George Strangeway invited his new acquaintance to the stables to see his pony.

This drew the attention of his lordship to Bob, and he asked O'Kelly what profession he intended his grandson for, adding, before a reply could be given, that he supposed the army would be his choice.

O'Kelly replied that he had no choice in the matter; that it was all left to the boy's mother, with whose wishes he would not interfere.

"He is a fine boy," said his lordship: "is he an only son ?" O'Kelly replied in the affirmative.

"Has the decision of the lawsuit in his favour entitled him to much property?" inquired his lordship.

"I cannot say that the lawsuit has decided that," replied O'Kelly; "the matter has only been disposed of pending his minority, but no doubt whatever exists that the fortune to which he is really entitled is very large-I might add princely."

"Then he is heir to a lawsuit as well as a large fortune," observed his lordship.

"That is really the case," added O'Kelly rather mournfully, "and from the experience I have had of law, I would advise him to be content with a competence, and forego his right to fortune, sooner than seek the attainment of it through the perplexities and disappointments that are to be encountered in our

courts of law.'

"I am surprised at you, major, to speak disparagingly of our courts of law. They are noble institutions, which protect property, and uphold rank and station: it is only the lower classes who complain of them."

"It is only of their abuses I complain," said O'Kelly, astonished at the rudeness of his lordship; but he again remembered the advice of Clements, and suppressed his feelings.

Whilst this conversation was going on, the two boys had disappeared from the library, and a servant was sent to the stables

to bring them back. The young lord, who was a mischievous urchin, had, after giving a specimen of his own equestrian ability, mounted Bob on the pony, and let him loose in the pleasuregrounds adjoining the garden. The animal got into a full gallop, dashed across flower beds, and upset vases and statues, whilst the screams of the boy, and the barking of two or three terriers that set out in full chase after the pony, drew a crowd of domestics, who, after some difficulty, captured the fugitive, and rescued Bob from his perilous situation, but not before the whole scene was witnessed by his lordship and the major, who were drawn from the house by the report of what had taken place.

This interlude having been got through in a manner more satisfactory than could be expected from the youth of the principal actor, the party, with the exception of the young lord, who fled at his father's approach, returned to the castle, where a sumptuous repast was prepared for the major and his grandson.

Bob having escaped almost miraculously the peril he had been in, seemed to enjoy the thing with peculiar satisfaction, and predicted that he would be one of the best horsemen in Ireland, and said he should have a pony of his own as soon as his mamma got the money out of the courts.

His lordship seemed to admire very much the intrepidity of the boy, and, when leaving the castle, deigned to shake him by the hand, whilst he held out one finger to the major, who was in doubt whether he had least right to be pleased with the meeting or the farewell.

O'Kelly, on his arrival at home, gave his daughter a minute detail of the extraordinary conduct and demeanour of Lord Strangeway, whilst the terrified mother heard from her son a glowing account of the pony adventure, and of his exploits as a horseman, whilst he added a request that he should get "a pony of his own." She promised that he should have one to carry him to school every day, and added, that the teacher whom Mr. Clements had recommended would come on the following week to take him under his tutelage. Bob heard of going to school with considerable pain, and it is probable that he would not have consented to have gone since, except upon the condition of riding backwards and forwards. In the course of the week which elapsed before Bob's Aristarchus came to take him in charge and enrol him as a day pupil at the great seminary of, Mr. Clements called to pay them a visit, and expressed the gratification he felt at the control that the major had over himself on his meeting with Lord Strangeway.

"I believe," said the latter, "I could not have mastered my feelings when I witnessed his haughty rudeness, but that I came to the conclusion that his lordship is dementate."

"Your conclusion is perfectly just," said Clements; "but his

madness is no more than that which appertains to his order, and may be deemed the forerunner of its ultimate destruction; but we have had some discussion heretofore with regard to the relative condition of the upper and lower classes, and we need not now enter into a further analysis of the subject."

"Oh! but the schoolmaster," said Mrs. Norberry; "when is he to call to take Bob under his care ?"

"Mr. Herbert will be here to-morrow," replied Clements; "and I may as well say a word about him, so that you may not expect to find in him what never existed in a schoolmaster-perfection. He is the best of the class I have ever known. My two sons were at school with him, and I respect him because he preferred making an honest and honourable livelihood by his literary acquirements, to seeking aid from his relations and connections, who are wealthy; but he has some of the eccentricities that belong to his class, and a little of the irritability which his avocation is sure to produce in the mind of any man.' "Perhaps a private tutor would be better," said O'Kelly; we shall have ample means to pay one.

"I would prefer the public school," said Clements. "Early friendships are formed there which often last till death dissolves them, and the spirit of emulation that is excited will, from what I have heard of your grandson, be requisite to induce him to apply himself with diligence to his studies."

After the lapse of some days Mr. Herbert came to the cottage to make arrangements for taking the new pupil into his seminary. He drove to the door in an old pony phaton, accompanied by a servant in faded livery, which was once evidently in possession of some more wealthy owner than the schoolmaster; and as he approached the terminus of his journey, he gave the pony a smart cut of the whip to put life into it, but whether the animal knew that it was unnecessary to increase its speed for so short a distance, or that it was accustomed to resent such treatment, instead of quickening its pace, it came to a full stop, and gave evident symptoms of recalcitrating, but after a few encouraging words from its master, given as if in the way of apology for the blow, it moved slowly and sulkily on until it arrived at the cottage door.

Mr. Herbert, like almost all schoolmasters, was eccentric in his manner; he was connected with several families of distinction, and was in early life intended for the church. He entered "Trinity College" at a time when even the divinity students took part in assaults upon watchmen, smashing of lamps, wrecking of "certain" houses, and conflicts with the horse police. On a memorable occasion of this kind, an engagement between the Trinity boys and the whole municipal force of the city took place, that spread terror and consternation amongst the citizens.

The principal scene of the rencontre was at Stephen's Green, where the belligerent parties arrived after fighting the whole way up Grafton Street. Some of the collegians pretended to retreat towards a large fosse that then surrounded the Green, whilst a large reserve party were stationed in various dark gateways, opposite which piles of stones had been collected. When the horse police, who had severely wounded three or four of the ringleaders, arrived near the deep ditch, volleys of stones were poured upon them like grape shot, several of the men and horses were tumbled in and almost smothered, many were dreadfully injured, and, after a complete victory on the part of the college boys, they paraded the city, setting the authorities at defiance. There were, however, many of them dreadfully injured, and the house of a lady that lived at the Green, and whose son was one of the principal leaders in the battle, was turned into an hospital that night.

Amongst those who were carried to it was poor Herbert, whose leg was broken by having been trampled upon by the horses of the police. It was found that the amputation of the limb was necessary to save his life, and the poor fellow lost it and his vocation at the same time. He was a younger son; his father was a stern, inexorable man, who could not pardon a fault; he left him on his own resources, and, with the exception of the money supplied to him during his illness, and a small sum sent to him when he recovered, he never gave him a shilling while he lived, and left him nothing at his death. A school was his only resource, and he resolved that he would cut off all communication with his friends, who had treated him with too much severity for an indiscretion of his youth, for which he had paid dearly enough. He never married, and was just able to make a tolerably respectable appearance. He had a wooden leg, so that all his journeys both of business and pleasure were performed in his pony photon. It was somewhat singular that the greater number of his pupils were Catholics, and that he prepared more candidates for the priesthood of that faith, than any other teacher in the province. He alighted from his phæton, and knocked at the cottage door, which was opened as usual by Molly Burke, who was never satisfied unless she knew the name, character, and business of those who came to visit the major; and seeing that Herbert had a wooden leg, she imagined that he was an old fellow soldier of his, and with her habitual, though inoffensive bluntness, she inquired to what regiment he belonged. The astonished schoolmaster looked at the woman with surprise, and said he supposed that all her visitors were military men, but that he had not the honour to be one, and desired that she would announce the arrival of Mr. Herbert of Seminary, who was coming to take charge of young master Norberry. At this